Antarctic ‘must be protected’

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33061, 31 October 1972, Page 18

Antarctic ‘must be protected’

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 30.

The Antarctic continent had to be protected from too many visitors, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sir Keith Holyoake) said today in his opening address at the seventh Antarctic Treaty consultative meeting in Wellington.

Sir Keith Holyoake, who described Antarctica as “both a unique scientific laboratory and also a political laboratory,” said that how to manage this fairly and justly would exercise the treaty nations for some time. The former New Zealand Ambassador in Washington, Mr F. H. Corner, was elected chairman of the meeting, which is being held for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere. It will continue until December 10. Other countries taking part are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan,

Norway, South Africa, Britain, the United States and the U.S.S.R.

“We must preserve, or as need be develop and elaborate, the regime created by the Antarctic Treaty, which may be regarded as the most hopeful development in international law, in international relations, for many years,” said Sir Keith Holyoake. He said that in the 16 years since the International Geophysical Year the research done had impelled scientists to revise earlier ideas on the earth’s history, the forming of continents, the causes of earthquakes, and future physical changes to the surface of the earth. “Of direct importance to New Zealand, we have a better understanding of the part Antarctica plays in the world’s weather pattern,” Sir Keith Holyoake said.